• Sculptor: Jo Davidson
  • Dedicated: 1992; cast from an original of 1923
  • Medium and size: Bronze (2.5 feet), concrete pedestal (4.5 feet)
  • Location: Bryant Park, between 42 and 41st Streets, and Fifth and Sixth Avenues
  • Subway: B, D, F, V to 42nd Street -Bryant Park

[Due to copyright restrictions, a photo of Stein is not included here.]

Stein on Oakland

Stein immortalized her childhood home of Oakland, California, with the comment:

What was the use of my having come from Oakland it was not natural to have come from there yes write about it if I like or anything if I like but not there, there is no there there.

Stein, Everybody’s Autobiography (1937)

In a clever visual riposte, Oakland erected in its City Center a large abstract sculpture by Roslyn Mazzilli entitled, simply, There

Stein, Picasso, and Man Ray

Man Ray took a photograph of Stein in 1926, while she was posing for this sculpture by Davidson. It offers a rare chance to study the the sitter’s actual appearance vs. the details the artist has chosen to include. See this page (scroll down).

Picasso, Gertrude Stein, 1905-6. Photo: MetMuseum.org

Above: Stein recorded her friend Picasso’s comment on her portrait (now in the Metropolitan Museum): “Yes, he said, everybody says that she does not look like it but that does not make any difference, she will.” (Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, 1933)

Stein’s Apartment

Man Ray, photo of Gertrude Stein’s apartment, 1922.

Above: If you’re a Woody Allen fan, this photograph should look eerily familiar. Kudos to the set designers of Midnight in Paris for doing a great job of replication.

More

  • Outdoor Monuments of Manhattan has more on Davidson’s reaction to Stein’s verbal portrait of him, and the text of Stein’s rant about the comma.
  • In Getting More Enjoyment from Sculpture You Love, I demonstrate a method for looking at sculptures in detail, in depth, and on your own. Learn to enjoy your favorite sculptures more, and find new favorites. Available on Amazon in print and Kindle formats. More here.
  • Want wonderful art delivered weekly to your inbox? Check out my free Sunday Recommendations list and my Patreon page (free or by subscription): details here.